"Speaking for Turkish Wedding Traditions:

I actually have many, but I’ll go with the one that really annoys the hell out of me:

The Red Ribbon. Before the bride leaves the parents’ home for the wedding, her close relatives put a red ribbon around her waist in order to symbolise her chastity. Since the bridegroom is the only one who gets to untie that knot, it also shows her promise to him that he will be the first one to gain access to her body.

Thankfully, this is rarely performed by the modern couples today, but I guess it is still a very common practice in rural areas.

Needless to say, I won’t wear a “maidenhood belt” to make myself look like a gift wrapped up in a box ready for my husband to open.

If, by the time of our wedding, both of us are virgins, then WE may BOTH wear purity rings or something similar to show our commitment to each other, but even this completely egalitarian and not misogynistic substitute would make me uncomfortable. Why does a huge number of people involving many strangers need to know about the intimate details of our relationship? It’s NONE of their business.

Its cultural connotations aside, I think a red ribbon looks awful on a white dress. The right wedding dress is the most elegant and classy thing you can possibly wear, I believe. Something so tacky as a red ribbon instantly ruins the elegance of the special dress you’ll get to wear only once. (Generally speaking)"